Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, loosely based on P. L. Travers' book series of the same name. The film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in the titular role of a magical nanny who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family's dynamic. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns are featured in supporting roles. The film was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Mary Poppins was released on August 26, 1964 to universal acclaim, receiving a total of thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture—an unsurpassed record for any other film released by the Walt Disney Studios—and won five; Best Actress for Andrews, Best Film Editing, Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee". In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Cast * Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, a magical and loving woman who descends down from the clouds in response to the Banks children's advertisement for a nanny. She is not only firm in her use of authority, but gentle and kind as well (a major departure from the original books, in which the character was strict and pompous). She travels to help children everywhere when they are most in need. * Dick Van Dyke as Bert, a Cockney jack-of-all-trades, and Mary Poppins's closest friend that is completely accustomed to her magic. Their playful interactions imply that they have known each other for a long time, and that this kind of story has repeated itself many times. When she sails away at the end of the film, he asks her not to stay away too long, possibly showing that he is accustomed to having Mary Poppins come and go as she pleases. Bert has at least four jobs throughout the film: a one-man band, a pavement chalk artist (or "screever"), a chimney sweep, and a kite seller. Bert also hints at selling hot chestnuts. His various street-vending jobs meet with mixed financial success, but he retains his cheery disposition and a bright red nose. Bert also assists Mary Poppins in her mission to save the Banks family, as he plays a key role in helping the Banks children and Mr. Banks to understand each other better. :Dyke also portrays Mr. Dawes Sr., the impossibly ancient director of the bank where Mr. Banks works; he often needs a little help when he moves clumsily and literally dies laughing toward the end of the film after Mr. Banks tells him one of Uncle Albert's jokes, which Jane and Michael originally told him. During the film's end titles, "Navckid Keyd" is credited as Mr. Dawes Sr, an anagram of Dick Van Dyke. * David Tomlinson as George Banks, Mary Poppins' employer and father of the two children. He works at the Dawes Tomes Mousley Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank in the City of London. He is a driven and disciplined man who callously dismisses the "Votes for Women" movement and tends to treat his children, wife, and servants as assets rather than people — a fact clearly evidenced in his song "The Life I Lead". By the end of the film, Mr. Banks' attitude towards his family, job, and Mary Poppins has changed dramatically. In contrast to what his children want, George wants a strict and authoritarian nanny who will give commands to "mold" Jane and Michael into nothing more than little obedient soldiers, something that his wife agrees with until after the children show their ad for a new nanny. Melodies in the score punctuate the children's need for their father's attention and love, and most of the dramatic tension in the film involves his journey from disconnected family autocrat to fully engaged family man. According to the Special Edition Soundtrack bonus disc, Mary Poppins was George's own nanny when he was a child. Travers intended to have the script hint this strongly in a few places, but it was largely left out of the film, except for the following words in Bert's opening song, "Can't put me finger on what lies in store... But I feel what's to 'appen, all 'appened before...!" and George's own statement to the elder Mr. Dawes identifying "Poppins" as "my nanny." However, in Banks' initial interview with Mary Poppins, there is little or no indication that the two have ever met before, and his description of her as "my nanny" could easily mean "the nanny I have employed to look after my children during the day" or even "my maid" or "my cook." :Tomlinson also provides the uncredited voice of Mary Poppins' parrot umbrella handle. * Glynis Johns as Winifred Banks, the easily distracted wife of George Banks and the mother of Jane and Michael. She is more fully developed in the film than in the books. She is depicted as a member of Emmeline Pankhurst's suffragette movement and appears to be so dedicated to the women's cause to the extent that she, like her husband, neglects the children. Her main outfit is a blue and orange Edwardian-style dress with a white and blue sash that reads "Votes for Women" in black letters. She wears white gloves in the film (as did most Edwardian English women of her class) and a stylish hat. Her song in the film is "Sister Suffragette", which she sings with the other two women of the household staff. One of her responsibilities is to say "Posts, everyone!", a simple way to protect delicate household items such as vases or pictures from destruction when Mr. Binnacle fires the cannon on top of Admiral Boom's house next door. She is also given yellow daisies by her son Michael one morning as he and his sister are singing "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." She is more sensitive to the needs of the children than her husband is, but also finds herself starved of his attention. As with the children, it is clear she loves George very much, but he is too absorbed in his view of the way things "ought to be" to return her love satisfactorily. Mrs. Banks was originally named Cynthia, but this was changed to the more English-sounding Winifred after some issues with the script. * Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber as Jane and Michael, the Banks' two children. :Katie Nanna's stormy departure suggests that the children are impossibly undisciplined, and they do demonstrate some evidence of this in their own advertisement for a new nanny, as they promise not to "hide her spectacles so she can't see, put toads in her bed or pepper in her tea" while smiling at each other in remembrance of jokes on former nannies. Once Mary Poppins arrives, the children come across as mostly sweet and innocent, albeit a tad rebellious. All they want is for their father to love them, and they have mistakenly interpreted his indifference to their needs as disliking them. They have tried to live up to his demands on them, which has only left them with shaky self-esteem. Those elements come together in a bit of dialogue early in the film, in which they explain that they did not run away from Katie Nanna, their kite took them away from her. They say that the kite is not very good, "because they made it themselves". They suggest to their father that if he could help them with it, it would turn out better. Alas, at that point, Banks is too wrapped up in his philosophy, that a British household should be run like a British bank, to take this strongest of hints. After inadvertently causing a run on the bank, the children give their father their tuppence, expressing the hope that it will make things right. At that moment, Mr. Banks finally understands, and his priorities take a 180-degree turn, leading to the film's happy resolution. * Hermione Baddeley as Ellen, the maid of the Banks residence. Although she is fond of the children, she dislikes having to look after them when there is no nanny available in the household. * Reta Shaw as Mrs. Brill, the cook of the Banks residence. She does not like intruders when she sees them. For example, in the musical number called "Step In Time", she sees too many chimney sweepers and screams the phrase, "They're at it again!" * Reginald Owen as Admiral Boom, the Banks' eccentric neighbour and a naval officer. He has his first mate, Mr. Binnacle, fire a cannon from his roof every 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. When those firings are about to happen, the attendants of the Banks or Mrs. Banks shout "Posts, everyone!" and rush to keep fragile possessions from falling to the ground while the house rocks. The admiral is known for his punctuality. He also considers a group of mean nannies as a "ghastly looking crew". * Don Barclay as Mr. Binnacle, Admiral Boom's first mate. He gets excited when he is ordered to give the cannon a double charge. * Arthur Treacher as Constable Jones, a police officer who convinces Mr. Banks that the kite pulled the Banks children away when he brought them back. He is a kindhearted man who knows his duties, but hates the way George treats his family and servants, as he mutters to himself before walking out the Banks' home in his first scene. * Elsa Lanchester as Katie Nanna, the disgruntled nanny who quits the Banks family. Mrs. Brill never liked her one bit, although Ellen begged her not to leave because then Ellen would have to watch over the children alone. * Marjorie Bennett as Miss Lark, a prissy, prim and posh old woman who owns a dog named Andrew, who frequently runs away. * Arthur Malet as Mr. Dawes Jr., the director's son and member of the board. * Ed Wynn as Uncle Albert, a jolly, portly gentleman suffers from an unknown condition where he floats up in the air, laughing uncontrollably. Though he enjoys having company over, he becomes very sad and cries when his guests have to go home. * Jane Darwell as the "Bird Woman" from the "Feed the Birds" sequence. * Alma Lawton as Mrs. Corry, an old shopkeeper of a gingerbread shop. She has two daughters who were once shorter than she is, "but they grew" and are now twice her height. Mary Poppins and the children nearly visit her shop but have to change plans so that they can see Uncle Albert. * Marjorie Eaton as Miss Persimmon, seen in the park where, after a long pause when the wind blows, her only word was a questioning "yes?". In the book she is a nurse looking after Uncle Albert. * Jimmy Logan as a doorman who chases after the children in the bank. External links * Category:1964 release Category:Mary Poppins Category:Musical & Dance Films Category:Fantasy Films Category:Dick Van Dyke films Category:Julie Andrews films Category:David Tomlinson films Category:Glynis Johns films Category:Karen Dotrice films Category:Matthew Garber films